fiction

03 Dec

Posted at 06:12h in fiction
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The book is a crime thriller that makes you wonder about the prospects of being a foolish murderer and committing the crime for all the wrong reasons. THE PLOT: It is the year 1947, post the Second World War and the people of Japan are building back their empire to become great once again. It is amidst this that we find a curious meeting of the Edo Tattoo Society where all the people who have amazing body tattoos come to show it for a whooping prize money of ten thousand yen. For this meeting, young Kenzo Matsushita who is the brother of a famous police officer comes to witness this extravagant show to find the beautiful snake tattooed Kinue Nomura. Not only did she win the first prize but also made Kenzo fall head over heels for her seduction. Unfortunately in a matter of three days, he finds her mutilated body with her head missing in her bathroom locked. The police investigators as well as Kenzo try hard to find the murderer. When the police officers think they are going to catch the culprit, another victim is found yet again the tattoo removed just like Kinue. It is the entry of the brilliant Kyosuke Kamizu that solves the locked room murder of Kinue Nomura.   THE UNDERWHELMING ASPECTS: The book is stretched unnecessarily and there are many parts of the book that could've been edited. The entry of Kyosuke Kamizu is towards the end of the story and he solves the mystery as if he was a...

03 Oct

Posted at 14:47h in fiction
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  This book is one among those that you cannot put it down until it is completed. With that being said, you have guess it right! This one goes into my favourites cupboard in my library. THE PLOT It is the year 1950-recently independent India and the day of Makar Sankrati, a brother discovers his sixteen year old sister Sanaz's dead body in their own house in Bohrawadi, Udaipur. There are a few people in the house the same day. Ranging from the zamindar Rao Sahib of Singhgarh, a unardently devout conman Hariharan, a Bhil(secluded tribe in west India) Nathu, a nightsoil worker Parjat. There are other members in the house, Dada Bhai- Sanaz's father, Mena Bai- Sanaz's mother, her three brothers and her grandmother widow Sugra. And one must not forget the witch -jeevti dakkan that's lives in the peepul tree near the house. Once the police arrives, their investigation leads to something sinister that they end up closing the case the same day.   THE UNDERWHELMING ASPECTS  The introduction of characters coming into the house is quite lengthy and a bit of the part could've been removed. The backstory of Parijat and Nathu seemed quite unrelated in certain aspects which can lead the reader away from the main plot.   THE GOOD ASPECTS Not in a million dreams will you ever know the reason why and how Sanaz's dies. The caste system and the oppressed situations of low caste people are interwined quite well in the story. Sanaz's aunt Khatheeja's character interesting takes the book further leading us to...

13 Feb

Posted at 08:17h in fiction
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A read that is fast-paced yet heartbreaking! I have been reading quite a few books based on the same genre and I must say I am looking forward to reading something light and funny or maybe even a murder mystery. I am waiting for my Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile to release here in my city. Now let's get into the review. We have a beautiful family of three, Nuri Ibrahim who is a beekeeper, his wife Afra Ibrahim and their son Sami. Everything was amazing until the Syrian war started and the beautiful city of Aleppo was torn into shreds. Not only does Afra loses her sight but also they lose their beloved son. Yet they travel across Turkey and Greece to ultimately reach Britain which is to safety. They travel there specifically because Nuri's cousin Mustafa had made through the arduous journey and joined his family there. But the price Nuri and Afra had to pay is really devastating! I cannot even comprehend the sufferings of the families who had to go through this nightmare during the war in Syria! Though the story is fictional, it is based on the true events of those who were in the camps in Greece and Turkey during the unfortunate war! The tone and the reading is light making it convenient for all. I wish someday human beings will realise that to survive on Earth, war is not the answer but it is peace, love and harmony we must achieve to survive. Why is it that our...

06 Feb

Posted at 08:17h in fiction
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Circe, the beautiful yet timid Greek Goddess who wishes just to live her life but instead faces unnecessary wrath of both Gods and mortals for no fault of hers. The author has written an amazing fiction novel of the above-said Goddess who was never considered one because of her power in witchcraft. Born to the great Titan, Helios and Perse she was never the favourite of anyone in the palace. When she first met Prometheus the god who was punished for eternity for helping the mortals, she realised she had a kind heart, unlike the other Gods and Goddesses. Circe was later banished from using her wizardry over her lover and her enemy ending in exile on a beautiful island called Aiaia. It is there she realised how ruthless both Gods, Goddess and mortals can be. but she lost her heart to a mortal Odysseus who was a favourite of Goddess Athens eventually bearing a son of his. Circle goes through a lot but yet triumphs to become what she always wanted in her life, to be herself. The book is as interesting as the book cover. it is a medium to fast-paced read. Rating 4/5...

03 Feb

Posted at 08:10h in fiction
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A spine chilling novel that makes you restless thinking about the poor souls that may or may not be alive! The plot of the book is set before the First World War about young Japanese women who left their homeland to be brides to people who they have never met but only have photos in their hands. What they never knew was that they would be used for work as weed pullers and housemaids. They never anticipated life with no voice of their own and could never return to their homeland ever. the worst part is they were always tormented with either their husbands, children or their masters. And in the end, they are sent to someplace that will never return during the Second World War. The book though is a work of fiction, the story resonates with the Japanese immigrants during those times. It is haunting yet heart breaking. It is a brilliant work and read it if you have an opportunity! Rating 4/5...

28 Jan

Posted at 04:20h in fiction
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The beauty of a tree lies in the eyes of the beholder! 2020, the year which changed the life of every human being on our planet. My life too changed because I met the book that is going to be my favourite till I die! The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak. Not many in the readers world love this book but the story touched my soul. We are not here to talk about that book but yet another beautiful story was written by the same author. The story revolves around the lives of Kostas Kazantzakis and Defne who despite all odds (Kostas being Greek Christian; Defne being Turkish Muslim) get married! They were young lovers who get caught in the civil war in Cyprus in 1974 losing all near and dear. When they are uprooted to London, they not only get a beautiful daughter Ada but also a charming luscious Fig Tree. We see the suffering, the loneliness, the compassion, the love and the trauma of people who are caught in a war that tore a harmonious community into bloodthirsty hounds! The story is narrated by both the characters of the books as well as the Fig tree who was actually a part of another fig tree brought from Cyprus by Kostas! The story is fast-paced and I completed it in a day! I would highly recommend this one to those who love good fiction. In fact, I picked this up from my bookshelf because I was overwhelmed by my previous read! The only...

12 Jan

Posted at 05:47h in fiction
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It is very difficult for authors to write a novel once their debut becomes a global success! I feel that is what happened in this book after the grand success of 'The Girl on The Train'. The plot goes by like this, two sisters, Jules and Danielle are estrangled where Danelille or Nel tries to have a conversation with Jules but absolutely ignore her calls and messages. Unfortunately, Nel is found dead in the drowning pool or lake where other women have also committed suicide over the decades. Jules realises that she has to return to her town not only to pay respects but also to take care of Lena the 15-year-old daughter of Nel. The remaining story is (the main highlight) Jules doesn't believe that her sister jumped off a cliff to die in the lake that Nel loved dearly. And Nel was an excellent swimmer. What is even intriguing is that just a few months back Lena's best friend Katie also died in the same lake. The book begins with quite a lot of mystery and all the characters seem equally suspicious. Because all of them are involved with Nel in one way or the other. The author has done a good job by showing us the inner thoughts of all the characters but at times it does become monotonous especially towards the end. The book is divided into four parts and the third part is where the author tends to drag the storyline. Ultimately you do feel the satisfaction...

10 Jan

Posted at 04:56h in fiction
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This is a fast-paced novel but unfortunately not to my liking. The author has done a good job in making me finish the book in a maximum of two days which is a good thing. This is going to be mainly my thoughts rather than a review. The main character of the book is Kate Moore who was also present in the author's previous novel The Expats. She is a former CIA operative and has started living with her husband Dexter and her child Ben in Paris after some disastrous event in her previous assignment. What we find here is she is caught in between an apparent terrorist attack, She realises that it is not what the police officers think and maybe the attack is closer to her than Paris. If more details are given then, this review will have spoilers rather than my views. I am quite surprised by the reviews given by some authors in the book because it is not a heart-throbbing thriller. It is a one time read and I wouldn't suggest you buy it until you are a book collector like me. I got this book only because of the name. Let me be honest I am fascinated by the French and their ways. I have been to Paris only once but it was enough for me to fall in love with the city. Though it is called the city of love I believe for me the city of love is Cairo. I am going off-topic...

25 Jun

Posted at 14:41h in fiction
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Before we delve into the review I want to clear a few things. Number one, I have nothing against the author. This is one of the few books that I disliked but still, my opinion is not biased. I do like one or two books of the author which is remarkably good compared to other authors of the same genre. PLOT HIGHLIGHT: We have two stories going simultaneously with each other. One goes back to the era of 340BC and one of our present days. We see in the old times a young brahmin Chanakya decides to avenge his father who was beheaded as he decided to speak his mind to the then King of Maghada. But what no one saw coming was this Brahmin would end up uniting all the north of Bharat under the able rule of Chandragupta Maurya who is the grandfather of the legendary king Ashoka, The Great. In the present time, we see an equally brilliant Gangasagar Mishra who decides to take the reins of dirty politics to unite the entire country to an able leader Chandini so that India has a good future! REVIEW: The author has managed to keep my attention only in the era of Alexander the Great invading India, the present time has been explained in too much detail that forget what is actually happening. The author has done a brilliant job in researching the lives and times of Chanakya and also how Indian politics work. The constant use of foul language in the book...

07 Jun

Posted at 07:41h in fiction
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The author has best-selling and prize-winning books in his bag such as The Shell Collector, About Grace, Four Seasons in Rome, and Memory Wall. He has also won the Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Prize. PLOT HIGHLIGHT: The main character in this book is Marie Laurie who becomes blind after the age of six and Werner who is a German orphan who stays with his sister till he is taken to the Hitler regime. The story revolves from the years 1934 to 1945. Marie Laurie’s father teaches her how to go about the streets of Paris by creating a small miniature of the city so that she can reach home by herself. The small and happy life of her family completely changes when she has to move away because of the war. It is quite an interesting twist how the boy and the girl meet each other and that lies the entire story! REVIEW: The author has done a magnificent job in his book. The writing style is simple yet complicated but easy to read. Though it is a work of fiction, we can easily connect with the characters who are suffering emotional turmoil during the war times. The author has also done his research well as we can see that certain events mentioned in the book have actually happened. The book is actually a gem and I feel everyone should read it. It is truly a literary art and doesn’t go by my words. The truth is dive into the book...